


What comes next

by choppyVy



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: 16x12, Caring!Nico, Coda, Emotional, Grief, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Moving In Together, Moving Out, Vulnerable!Levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:21:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22609216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/choppyVy/pseuds/choppyVy
Summary: Nico helps Levi allow himself to feel what he needs to in the aftermath of all this single day has brought on for him.(16x12 coda)
Relationships: Nico Kim & Levi Schmitt, Nico Kim/Levi Schmitt
Comments: 22
Kudos: 186





	What comes next

Nico is trying to focus on the road, but it is not easy.

  
… with Levi rambling as hard as he is from the passenger seat.

… with Nico as excruciatingly worried as he is for his boyfriend’s health. Levi’s heart.

This whole day, ever since Levi’s mom had first interrupted them in the basement, game of chess quickly forgotten and cast aside, this whole day ‘… has been a single prolonged stresser.’ Nico feels stressed, cannot imagine what Levi must be feeling.

Nico chances a brief glance at his boyfriend. What he sees he does not like at all. As little as what he is hearing, and the strained voice he is hearing it in.

“If I had figured it all out earlier, me, ... I could have helped him. I wasn-, I wasn’t there for him. I wish I had, I should have, I’d, I …” Levi looks over in confusion as Nico pulls the car to a stop on the side of the road.

Only when Nico loosens his seatbelt and reaches over with both hands to hold his boyfriend’s does Levi realize how hard he is trembling, how he is not …

… a soft hum reaches him. “Levi, … breathe. Sweety. Breathe.”

The first attempt at a breath is snuffed out by a whimper splitting the quiet in the car.

Levi feels Nico let go. His heart begins to race, tighten. The next thing he registers is himself standing at the side of the road wrapped up firmly in Nico’s arms, hiccupping breaths, bawling his eyes out in a way he had not been able to allow himself before. “I should have looked out for him.”

“I am so thankful to him that he looked out for you. All he wanted was to look out for you, to make sure you would be okay. Better than. You gave him that gift. He got to see you happy.” Nico’s brain urges him on, “You are happy with me, us. Right?”

A new wave of hiccupped sobs hits Nico’s chest as Levi vehemently nods against it, brings out in between torn breaths, “You make me so happy. If I'd lost you at the bar, we could so easily have lost each other.” Levi chokes.

"We're okay, we're both okay." Nico does his best to steer them back into steadier waters. “He would have loved to see you stand up to your mother like that. He is proud of you. I am SO proud of you.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.” Moments stretch. Minutes pass. Nico keeps humming reassuringly his persisting presence into the space they hold together.

They make it ‘Home,’ a while later, Levi still cannot process the thought. “Nico?”

A warm hum of “Yes,” in answer, as Nico puts down his boyfriend’s belongings, straightens up and finds Levi’s gaze.

“Did you re-? Is thi-?”

Nico’s renewed embrace gives Levi the strength to hope. “I meant it when I gave you that key on Christmas Day. I’ve been ready for us to live together for months.” His words bring new tears to eyes cried red and raw too many times already today.

Levi’s breathing stutters, “I’ve been ready too.”

Nico smiles bright and warm. “Welcome home, Sweety. Welcome home.” Nico’s hands card tenderly through Levi’s hair as they rest their foreheads together. “We’re home.”

“You love me. You see me. … for all I am?”

Nico peppers Levi’s tearstained face with kisses, “I love you. I see you. All of you. For all you are. I worship you.” He feels a shudder run through Levi’s body against his.

Nico guides them into the living room, sits down on the couch and pulls Levi with him.

Levi coming to sit on Nico’s lap, legs either side of him, Nico gently pulls Levi in, one hand resting against Levi’s lower back, the other once more carding through hair, soothing rhythm never faltering as Nico tries to hold on to Levi’s eyes, tired and half closed. “I will take such good care of you.”

Levi whines, pulls himself as tight as he can into Nico’s embrace, against Nico’s body, buries his face against Nico’s neck searching out comfort, contact, skin.

Nico’s nose buried in Levi’s hair, both breathe in deep.

Levi’s sobs shake both their bodies.


End file.
